Darrell Shumway back on Board of Trustees

The newest member of the Pratt Community College Trustees brings decades of experience to the position.

Newly appointed Board member Darrell Shumway had previously served as a trustee from 1985 to 2008.

He was on the executive board of the Kansas Association of Community Colleges for 20 years, served six years as a trustee on the Association of Community College Board and was chair of the National Association of Community College Board during 2000-2001.

Shumway resigned from the PCC Trustees in 2008 after his work demands caused him to miss several meetings in a row.

He worked as a national community college practice leader for Parsons, a Pasadena, Calif. company, that did marketed engineering, architecture, construction, master planning and assessments for community colleges.

His job allowed him to maintain his community college contacts nation wide. After he retired he felt like he had the time to give back to the college.

"It felt pretty good to be sitting there," Shumway said. "It especially felt good to sit next to my son (Trustee Jeff Shumway) who is serving his own term."

It was ironic that just minutes after he was sworn in to fill the term of former trustee Ed Wiltse who had to resign because of a business move, he heard Trustee President Ken Van Blaricum read President William Wojciechowski's retirement letter.

Shumway was on the Board that brought Wojciechowski to PCC as president 24 years ago.

"It was bitter sweet. The college had gone through some very trying times before Bill was brought in," Shumway said.